The younger James, 24, of Jupiter, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon — an alligator — after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said he tossed the 3-and-a-half-foot creature at employees of a Wendy's in Loxahatchee.

He was arrested Monday. After James' release from jail, he reportedly told WPTV-Ch. 5, "I'm sorry for what I did — I mean, just being stupid, not thinking. ... Obviously, I found out what the consequences were, and I've got to pay for them."

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

This alligator was thrown through a Wendy's drive-thru.

This alligator was thrown through a Wendy's drive-thru.

(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

His father said he hasn't been following the media attention swirling around his son's arrest. Ed James said his son grew up in nature and loves animals.

He called the incident with the alligator a prank. On Tuesday he said he and his son hadn't had a chance to talk about the charges yet.

"I haven't talked to him to find out exactly what happened," he said.

According to an arrest report, on Oct. 11 James was at the Wendy's at 12011 Southern Boulevard in Loxahatchee just after 1:30 a.m. when he placed an order.

As the drive-thru employee went to hand him his drink, he tossed the alligator inside and drove off.

Officials came to the store, safely detained the alligator and eventually released him back into a nearby canal.

Using surveillance footage, officials spotted James' truck at a nearby 7-Eleven. They identified James after matching surveillance footage from the 7-Eleven with a credit card he used inside the store.

Officers were able to track James down in December. He told them he found the alligator on the side of the road, picked it up and threw it at the employees.

He is charged with petit theft, as well as the aggravated assault charge.